Telephone installation



Dec. 1751940. M. HEBEL TELEPHONE INSTALLATION- Filed Jm. l2, 1938 Patented Dec. 17, 1940 PATENT OFFICE TELEPHNE INSTALLATION Martin Hebel, Hechendorf-on-the-Pilsensee,

Upper Bavaria, Germany Application January 12, 1938, Serial No. 184,680 In Germany January 14, 1937 11 Claims.

This invention relates to time-zone metering in selector operated telephone installations, that is to say, to arrangements for the emission of current impulses in accordance with the distance between the communicating exchanges and the duration of the connection.

The circuit arrangement in accordance with the invention comprises means for the selection Q of a zone lead characteristic of the connection, lol i. e. a lead which is characteristic of the distance between the exchanges and means for transmitting through a selected zone lead a number of metering current impulses determined by the lduration of the conversation and the tariff in 15. force and in which the transmitting means is common to a number of conversational circuits and comprises a number of cam discs for diierent tariffs, each having a plurality of series of cams for diierent units of conversation and each arranged to actuate a transmitting contact connected to one of the zone leads and control means common to all the cam discs for selectively making only one or another of the series oi cams on a disc effective to cause the transmission of impulses through the selected zone lead on rotation of the disc.

The impulses may be transmitted to the subscribers meter at the beginning of each interval in respect of which they are emitted or they may be stored up for transmission to the subscribers meter at the end of the connection. l

In order that the invention may be properly understood and be more readily carried into eiiect, two examples in accordance therewith will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows an arrangement in which the impulses are transmitted immediately to the subscribers meter, and

which the impulses are stored until the end of the connection.

The circuit shown in Figure 1 including a time switch and zone selector individual thereto can be seized by a selector (not shown) through the lines a, b, c, d and gives access over the lines a', b', c', d to a repeater for extending the connection. The time switch mechanism has a driving magnet Dz for a pair of wipers del and (Z22.

The zone selector has a driving magnet Dk through which a wiperdkl can be connected to the various leads II-X corresponding to the various zones, and which lead to the contacts of a metering current impulse transmitter ZS shown beneath the chain line in the drawing. The im- Figure 2 shows a modified arrangement in pulse transmitters can be seized by any one of a number of repeaters.

The illustrated arrangement is designed for the case in which there are two possible tariffs, for example a day-time tariff and a night-time tariff. -5 The zone lead II has associated with it two cam discs N II t N II n. The remaining zone leads have similar pairs of cam discs (not illustrated) associated with them. The cam disc N II t, which will be assumed to be 4effective when the 10 day-time tarii is in force, actuates a contact `n II I while the cam disc N II n-for the nighttime tariiT-actuates a similar contact n II2. Each' of these discs has two series of cams Nil, Nt2 and Nnl, N112. The number of cams in each 15 of the series Ntl andv Nnl corresponds to the number of impulses which is to be sent out by the transmitter in respect of a three-minute connection at a time when the day or the night taril respectively is in force. The number of cams in 20 each of the series N152 and N112 corresponds tothe number of impulses appropriate to a one-minute connection. Thus, the cam disc NIIt associated with the zone'lead II and effective when the day tariff is in operation has a series of nine cams Ntl 25 (for the three minute charge) and a series of three cams NtZ (for the one minute charge), while the corresponding cam disc NIIn, which is effective when the night tariff is in operation, has a series of six cams Nnl and has a series of two 30 cams N112. The arrangement of the two series of cams on one camdisc necessitates the provision of a control disc Nstl which is mounted on the same shaft as the cam discs NIIt and NIIn and actuates a contact m Which produces a reversal 35 of potential as a series of cams has wiped past one of the contacts nIII, nIIZ. The object of this reversal of potential will become clear later on. On the same shaft there is also a cam disc Nst which actuates a double-make contact st. This 40 contact is always actuated shortly before the contacts nIIl, nIIZ are actuated by the cams Ntl, Nnl.

The metering device operates as follows:

When the circuit has been seized, a circuit is closed through the line c, c1 and the relay C is energised. When the subscriber dials, the contact a is closed at each current impulse (through means not illustrated) and closes the k50 following circuit for the magnet Dlc of the zonev selector:

-l, contact a, line d', contact gl, slow-acting relay V, magnet Dlt,

The wiper dlcl of the zone selector is thus ,55

train, the relay V, after a delay, releases and closes a circuit for the relay G:

contacts dk2 and v, relay G, The relay G responds, locks itself in a circuit closed by closing its contact g2 and opens the circuit through the line dl at its contact gl A zone line is thus selected by the wiper dlcl.

When the called subscriber removes his receiver, the line bl is momentarily connected to the negative side of the battery and the winding I of the relay B is thus energised. A locking circuit is then closed through the contact b2 and the winding II of the relay. The response of relay B denotes the beginning of the chargeable period of time.

The contact b4 connects the magnet De of the time switch in a circuit which is closed every ten seconds by the switch lll". On the first closing of the switch III, the magnet Dz is energised and the wipers dal and :Z22 are stepped from the normal position on to the contacts I, in which position the winding I of the relay Z is energised in a circuit including the contacts b3 and ,fl the wiper `dal and the contact c4.

' By closing its contact el, the relay Z transmits a metering current impulse through the line d. Such a metering impulse is always emitted on response of the called subscriber, so that the calling subscriber may be charged for using theconnecting devices. Closing of the contact z2 causes the relay E to be energised in a circuit including the contact f3. The relay E holds up after dropping of the relay Z in a circuit including the contacts w3 and el. When thrown, the Contact e2 connects the winding 1I of the relayZ to the negative pole of the battery through a resistance Wz'3. The emission of metering current impulses by the transmitter ZS is thus prepared.

The Contact 2 of the contact bank of the time switch wiped by the wiper del is connected through a relay T to the double-make contact st. The centre spring of the contact st is connected to the negative pole of the battery through a resistance Wil and the right hand spring through a resistance Wz`2. Shortly before the cams Ntl or Nnl wipe past the current impulse contacts nIIl nIIZ, the contact st is actuated by the highest part yl of the cam disc Nst so that the following circuit is closed for the relay T through the resistance Wz2:

l, contacts b3, fl, wiper del, contact 2, relay T, (windings I and II),

resistance Wil,

contact st,

' resistance Wz'2,

The relay T responds and in closing its contact t2 short-circuits its high ohmic winding I so that the corresponding relay of another repeater cannot now respond. The relays T of the various repeaters are conveniently given different response characteristics. When the part yl of the cam disc Nst has run past the contact st,^the follow- Closing of the contact t2 causes the relay T to continue to hold up in this position of the time switch. Before the control contact st resumes its normal position and the relay T drops, the winding II of the relay Z which is connected to the negative pole of the battery through the` resisti ance Wz'3 and the Contact e2, receives the number of current impulses corresponding to the first three-minute period over the contact t3, the wiper dkl of the zone selector and the selected zone lead. The contacts nIII and nII2 shown ,1:

connected to the zone lead II are connected alternatively to the contact m by operation of the switch U which is reversed whenever a change is made from day-time rate to night-time rate and vice versa. In the case illustrated, the metering current impulses corresponding to the three minute charge are emitted by the contact nII2 and the contact m is connected to the positive pole of the battery. The following circuit is thus made:

-l-, contact m, switchU, contact m12, zone lead II, wiper dkl, contact t3, Winding II of relay Z, contact e2, resistance Wz'3,

The relay Z transmits the current impulses by means of its contact zl. When the one-minute cams N112, which are arranged on the same cam 7 disc NIIn as the three-minute cams Nnl, wipe past the transmitting contact 21H2, the contact m is connected by the cam Nstl to the negative pole of the` battery. As the relay Z is also connected to the negative pole through the contact e2, no

current impulses are emitted.

When the control contact st opens, the relay T drops and the current impulse transmission line is interrupted at contact t3.

one second, the Wipers of the time switch are stepped through one step every ten seconds. Thus, at the end of two minutes and fty seconds, the wiper dal is on the contact I8 through which the following circuit is closed for the relay W:

l, contacts b3, fl, Wiper dal, contact e3, relay The relay W responds and by means of its contacts wl and to2 closes a. warning circuit WS through the speech line a, b. In opening, the

contact w3 opens the circuit for the relay E so that the latter drops and interrupts the circuit for relay Wat its contact e3, thus opening the warning circuit WS again. The contact wll closes a circuit for the magnet DZ of the time switch so that the wipers are moved on to the contact I9. In this position, a circuit is closed for the winding II of relay F. The relay F responds and locks itself through its winding I in a circuit including the contacts c2 and f2. The contact ,fl then disconnects the wiper del and connects the wiper :1.22. When it released, the relay E connected the winding II of the relay Z to earth by throwing its contact e2, so that the relay Z will only respond when the current i. pulse transmission line is connected to the negative pole of the battery by the contacts m and nIII or 11.112. i

When the wipers del and c3212 reach the contact 20, a circuit for the relay '1" is prepared The cam discs of the transmitter ZS rotate once in approximately through the contacts b3, fl and the wiper 1122. The relay T then responds on actuation of the contact st and, by operation of the contact tl, resets the time switch into the Zero position. The contact t2 ensures that the relay T remains energised until the contact st has been reopened by the cam disc Nst. Thereafter, metering current impulses are given every minute until the end of the connection. Thus, when the Wiper 122 arrives at the contacts vl5, I3 and 20, the relay T is energised and steps the time switch one step forward. Metering current impulses are emitted during the energisation of relay T as soon as the contact m connects the transmission line to the negative pole of the battery:

contact m, switch U, contact nIIl (or 11112), zone lead II, Wiper dlcl, contact t3, winding II of relay Z, contact e2,

lThe bank contacts may be wiped as many times as desired. It is, of course, clear that switch means could be provided which caused the connecting devices to be released after six minutes or after twelve minutes.

The current impulses for the one-minute charge, which are emitted by means of the cams Nt2 or N112 and the contacts n.III and nIIZ, pass through the same zone lead as the current impulses for the three-minute charge. The only dierence is that negative current impulses are emitted instead of positive impulses. This, of course, applies whether day-time or night-time rates are in force so that four diierent current impulse trains are transmitted over the same zone lead.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1, the contact el of the relay Z transmits the metering current impulses immediately through the line d to which the calling subscribers meter may be connected. The subscribersl conversation is therefore not disturbed.

In the arrangement of Figure 2, a switch mechanism is provided which stores the metering current impulses until the end of the conversation and then transmits them through the line b. The magnet Z1; which steps the switch mechanism in one direction is energised at each current impulse on closing of the contact z3. When one of the subscribers has replaced his receiver, a contact s is closed in a manner not shown so that the relay X energises and by means of contact xl energises the magnet Zr, which steps the switch mechanism in the other direction back into its rest position. At each response, the contact zr of the magnet Zr interrupts the circuit of the relay X. By means of its contact :r2 the relay X at each response transmits a metering current impulse through the line by to which a meter or a metering impulse repeating relay controlling a meter may be connected. The metering current impulses can also be sent through the line b b during the conversation if the contact a3 is arranged in the same way as the contact r2. This, howevery would mean that the conversation would be interrupted each time for the fraction of a second.

I claim:

1. A telephone installation comprising a plurality of connecting paths, a plurality of repeaters associated individually with said connecting paths and a transmitter arranged for connection to any one of a number of said repeaters and for the emission of a number of metering current impulses, each of said repeaters comprising a plurality of zone leads connected to said transmitter, means for selecting one of said zone leads, means for connecting a repeater to said transmitter, time switch means for making said connecting means eiective at predetermined intervals of time, means for causing said transmitter yto transmit a number of metering im.. pulses dependent upon the length of said intervals over said selected Zone lead, means for receiving said metering impulses and means for reversing the potential on one side of said receiving means, said transmitter comprising a plurality of cam discs, a plurality of current impulsel contacts controlled individually by said cam discs and each associated with a single one of said zone leads, each of said cam discs being provided with a plurality of series of cams, each series comprising a different number of cams and control means for connecting said current impulse contacts to different potentials according as one or another of said series of cams is to actuate the contact in question. @-0

2. A telephone installation comprising a plurality of connecting paths, a plurality of repeaters associated` individually with said connecting paths and a transmitter associated with a plurality of said repeaters, said repeater comprising a plurality of Zone leads connected to said transmitter, means for selecting one of said zone leads, means for selectively connecting one of said repeaters to said transmitter, time switch means for making said connecting means effective at 30 v zone lead for receiving said metering impulses,

reversing switch means controlled by said time switch means for connecting said receiving means to diierent potentials and said transmitter comprising a plurality of cam discs, a plurality of current impulse contacts controlled by different ones of said cam discs and forming groups containing at least one contact, said groups being each associated with a different one of said zone leads, each of said cam discs comprising a plurality of sets of different numbers of cams, a

further contact connected to said current impulse contacts for connecting them to different potentials during the actuation of a current impulse contact by one or another of said sets of v cams and a further cam disc for controlling said further contact.

3. A telephone installation as claimed in claim 2, in which said reversing switch means are adapted to connect said receiving device selec-r tively to positive and negative potentials and in which said further contact is adapted to connect said current impulse contacts selectively to negative and positive potential.

4. A telephone installation comprising a plurality of connecting paths, a plurality of repeaters associated individually with said connecting paths and a current impulse transmitter associated with a plurality of said repeaters, each of said repeaters comprising a plurality of zone leads connected to said transmitter, means for selecting one of said zone leads, means for selectively connecting said repeaters to said transmitter, time switch means for making said connecting means effective at predetermined intervals of time, means for operating said transmitter for the emission of metering current impulses in trains comprising a number of impulses dependent upon the length of said intervals, means connected to the selected zone lead for receiving lil said impulses and reversing switch means for connecting said receiving means to different potentials, said reversing switch means being controlled by said time switch means and said transmitter comprising a plurality of `cam discs, a plurality of current impulse contacts controlled by said cam discs arranged in pairs associated each with a dilerent one of said zone leads, switch means controlled at particular times for connecting one or the other of the current impulse contacts in a pair to its associated zone lead, each of said cam discs being provided with a plurality of sets of different numbers of cams, a further cam disc, a contact controlled by said further cam disc and connected to said lastmentioned switch means whereby to connect said current impulse contacts to different potentials during the action of one or another of said sets of cams.

5. In a telephone installation comprising a plurality of repeaters, the provision of time-zone metering means comprising a plurality of leads corresponding to the various zones, a current impulse transmitter including a number oi transmitting contacts equal to the product of the number of zone leads and the number of tariffs and a plurality of actuating cams associated inclividually with said contacts, means for selectively connecting said repeaters to said transmitter and means for selectively connecting said zone leads to said transmitter through a selected one of said transmitting contacts at predetermined intervals of time, whereby to cause the transmission through the connected zone lead of a number of metering current impulses dependent upon the tariif for the time being in force and the length of said intervals.

6. A telephone installation comprising a plurality of connecting paths, a plurality of zone leads each characteristic of the zone of a connection, means associated with one of said connecting paths for selecting one of said zone leads, a metering impulse repeating relay associated with said connecting path, time switch means associated with said connecting path, a metering impulse transmitter having a plurality of transmitting contacts each connected to one of said zone leads, a plurality of cam discs each controlling `one of said transmitting contacts and provided with a plurality of series of cams and control means common to all said transmitting contacts for allowing, on rotation of said cam discs, the transmission of metering impulses by the transmitting contact of a selected zone lead to be eiected under the influence of only one of said series of cams on the associated cam disc, each of said connecting paths comprising also switch means controlled by said metering impulse transmitter and by said time switch means at predetermined intervals of time during the connection for connecting said repeating relay of only one connecting path to the selected zone lead at any one time.

paths each having associated with it means for selecting one of said zone leads, a metering impulse repeating relay, means for connecting said repeating relay to said selecting means, and a time switch for preparing said connecting means at predetermined intervals of time during the connection, said telephone installation comprising also a metering impulse transmitter having a vplurality of transmitting contacts each connected to one of said zone leads, a plurality of cam discs each controlling one of said transmitting contacts and provided with a plurality of series of cams, control means common to all said transmitting contacts lfor allowing, on rotation of said cam discs, the emission of metering impulses by the transmitting contact of a selected zone lead to be effected under the influence of only one of said series of cams of the associated cam disc and control means for making effective the connecting means of only one connecting path which has been prepared by said time switch before the beginning of the emission of current impulses.

9. A telephone installation as claimed in claim 8 comprising a contact controlled by said repeating means for the immediate repetition of the received metering impulses.

10. A telephone installation as claimed in claim A 8 comprising also a storing device controlled by sa1d` repeatingmeans forstoring the metering impulses emitted by the transmitter during a connectlon and for transmitting said metering impulses during its restoration into its normal position.

11. A circuit arrangement for time-zone metering in selector operated telephone installations `comprising a plurality of conversational circuits,

a plurality of zone leads, means for selecting a zone lead characteristic of the connection and means for transmitting through a selected zone lead a number of metering current impulses determined by the duration of the conversation and the tariff in force, said transmitting means being common to a plurality of said conversational circuits and comprising a plurality of transmitting contacts connected to said zone leads and a plurality of sets of cam discs--one set foreach zone lead-each set of cam discs comprising one for each different tariff and each cam disc comprising a plurality of series of cams `for different units of conversation, and control means common to all said cam discs for selectively making only one or another of said series of cams on a disc eiective to actuate one oi said transmitting contacts.

MARTIN HEBEL. 

